Deniz Mehmet
Personal information
Full name Deniz Doğan Mehmet[1]
Date of birth (1992-09-19) 19 September 1992[2]
Place of birth Enfield, London, England
Height 1.92 m (6 ft 4 in)[3]
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
 Dunfermline Athletic
Number 1
Youth career
Arsenal
Charlton Athletic
2007–2008 Manchester United
2008–2011 West Ham United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2011 Welling United 0 (0)
2011–2015 Kayserispor 0 (0)
2016–2017 Falkirk 2 (0)
2017 Port Vale 9 (0)
2017–2019 Dundee United 6 (0)
2019 Queen of the South 2 (0)
2019–2021 Dundee United 4 (0)
2021– Dunfermline Athletic 41 (0)
International career
2007 Turkey U16 1 (0)
2008–2009 Turkey U17 17 (0)
2009–2010 Turkey U18 3 (0)
2010 Turkey U19 2 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 22:47, 14 January 2023 (UTC)

Deniz Doğan Mehmet (born 19 September 1992) is a professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Scottish Championship club Dunfermline Athletic.

A former youth team player at Arsenal, Charlton Athletic, Manchester United, and West Ham United, Mehmet then signed for Welling United for a brief spell in 2011. Having represented Turkey up to under-19 level, English-born Mehmet then spent four years in Turkey as a reserve team goalkeeper at Kayserispor. Mehmet then signed for Scottish club Falkirk in January 2016, where he stayed for one year. Mehmet then returned to England to sign for Port Vale in March 2017, before signing for Dundee United later that same year. He joined Queen of the South in March 2019, before returning to Dundee United four months later. He sat on the bench as United won the Scottish Championship in the 2019–20 season. He joined Dunfermline Athletic in June 2021 and kept goal as the club won the Scottish League One title at the end of the 2022–23 season, earning himself a place in the PFA Scotland Team of the Year.

Early life

Mehmet was born in Enfield, London, on 19 September 1992 and he is of Turkish Cypriot descent.[4]

Club career

Journeyman back-up goalkeeper

Mehmet was associated with the youth academies at Arsenal, Charlton Athletic, and Manchester United, before he joined the youth academy at West Ham United in 2008.[5] Mehmet departed West Ham in the 2011 close season and had trials with Ipswich Town and Wycombe Wanderers that summer.[6][7] He then signed for Welling United of the Conference South.[8] Mehmet departed Welling to sign for Turkish Süper Lig club Kayserispor. He departed the Turkish club in January 2015, having played ten cup matches in four seasons.[9]

Mehmet then had trials with Luton Town and Leyton Orient in the 2015 close season and then went on to have a trial with Plymouth Argyle in October 2015 and featured for the club in the Under-21 Premier League Cup.[10][11][12] He then signed for Scottish Championship club Falkirk in January 2016 after a one-month trial.[13] Mehmet was unable to replace first-choice goalkeeper Danny Rogers and departed the club by mutual consent in January 2017, after informing manager Peter Houston that he wanted to play regular matches elsewhere.[14]

Mehmet then signed a short-term contract with EFL League One club Port Vale on 1 March 2017, with the intention of being the back-up to on loan goalkeeper Leo Fasan.[15] Mehmet debuted for Port Vale in a crucial 2–1 win versus relegation rivals Shrewsbury Town at Vale Park on 17 March 2017.[16] One week later, he impressed in a 0–0 home draw versus Milton Keynes Dons, which was the club's first clean sheet in fourteen matches.[17] Mehmet was released by manager Michael Brown, following the club's relegation in May 2017.[18]

Mehmet signed a one-year contract with Scottish Championship side Dundee United, after impressing after a trial in July 2017.[19][20] He was restricted to cup appearances in the first part of the 2017–18 season, despite expecting a better opportunity when Csaba László replaced Ray McKinnon as manager in November 2017, although he explained that the change in management had little effect on him as he spent most of his time at Tannadice with goalkeeping coach Stuart Garden.[21] Mehmet eventually staked his claim as first-team goalkeeper towards the end of that season, as United defeated Dunfermline Athletic in the play-off quarter-finals but had to be substituted for Harry Lewis just under an hour into the second leg, after he injured himself celebrating Scott McDonald's equalising goal. Manager Laszlo stated that "this was the funniest thing he had seen in football and was really stupid".[22] Mehmet signed a new one-year contract with Dundee United in May 2018,[23] however, the tore cruciate ligament injury he sustained in the play-offs left him unable to feature during the first half of the 2018–19 season.[24] Manager Robbie Neilson gave him a six-month contract extension to help him through his rehabilitation.[25]

On 29 March 2019, Mehmet signed for Queen of the South until the end of the 2018–19 season and Queens manager Gary Naysmith explained that he signed him after first-team goalkeeper Martin and third-choice goalkeeper Ryan Gibson both picked up injuries.[26] He rejoined Dundee United on 5 July 2019 signing a two-year contract; sporting director Tony Asghar explained that he was allowed to leave the club in order to prove his fitness, and having done so he was re-signed to provide competition for first-choice goalkeeper Benjamin Siegrist.[27] However, Siegrist played all 28 league games in the 2019–20 season as United were declared as league champions with eight games left to play due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland.[28][29] Mehmet made four league and eight cup appearances throughout the 2020–21 campaign, including playing in a Scottish Cup semi-final defeat to Hibernian.[30][31] However, he decided to leave Tannadice after concluding that "it just wasn’t happening for me at Dundee United" with manager Micky Mellon settled on playing Siegrist in goal.[32]

Dunfermline Athletic

On 23 June 2021, Mehmet signed for Scottish Championship side Dunfermline Athletic on a two-year deal, arriving as Peter Grant second signing of the summer.[33] Veteran goalkeeper Owain Fôn Williams left East End Park in February, though Jakub Stolarczyk was selected as his replacement as Mehmet was out with a finger injury.[34][35] Manager John Hughes praised Mehmet for his performances filling in whilst Stolarczyk was away on international duty.[36] He featured eight times in the 2021–22 relegation campaign.[37]

Following Dunfermline's relegation, Mehmet became first choice goalkeeper for the 2022–23 season, appearing 44 times and breaking the club record for clean sheets.[38] Mehmet was selected in League One's PFA Scotland Team of the Year as Dunfermline secured promotion as champions.[39][40] When asked for his thoughts on fans chanting his name, he commented on the contrasting fortunes with the previous campaign, saying "I think, if you had told them a year down the line they'd be doing that, they'd have told you you're mad. I would have anyway!"[41]

International career

Mehmet has been capped by Turkey at under-16, under-17, under-18, and under-19 level. He was selected by Abdullah Ercan as a squad member for the 2009 UEFA European Under-17 Championship in Germany and the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Nigeria.[42][43]

Career statistics

As of match played 6 May 2023
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Welling United 2011–12[40] Conference South 0000–0000
Kayserispor 2011–12[40] Süper Lig 0000–6[lower-alpha 1]060
2012–13[40] Süper Lig 0000–0000
2013–14[40] Süper Lig 0000–0000
2014–15[40] TFF First League 0040–0040
Total 00400060100
Falkirk 2015–16[44] Scottish Championship 1000000010
2016–17[45] Scottish Championship 1000102[lower-alpha 2]040
Total 2000102050
Port Vale 2016–17[45] EFL League One 9000000090
Dundee United 2017–18[46] Scottish Championship 6000106[lower-alpha 3]0130
2018–19[47] Scottish Championship 0000000000
Total 60001060130
Queen of the South 2018–19[47] Scottish Championship 2000000020
Dundee United 2019–20[48] Scottish Championship 0000101[lower-alpha 2]020
2020–21[30] Scottish Premiership 40404000120
Total 40405010140
Dunfermline Athletic 2021–22[37] Scottish Championship 5000300080
2022–23[49] Scottish League One 36010401[lower-alpha 2]0420
2023–24[50] Scottish Championship 0000000000
Total 410107010500
Career total 640901401601030
  1. ↑ Appearances in Spor Toto Cup
  2. 1 2 3 Appearances in Scottish Challenge Cup.
  3. ↑ 4 appearances in Scottish Challenge Cup, 2 in Scottish Premiership play-offs

Honours

Kayserispor

Falkirk

Dundee United

Dunfermline Athletic

Individual

References

  1. ↑ "Retained List 2016-17" (PDF). English Football League. Retrieved 13 June 2017.
  2. ↑ "FootballSquads - Port Vale - 2016/2017". www.footballsquads.co.uk. Archived from the original on 5 February 2021. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  3. ↑ "FootballSquads - Port Vale - 2016/17". www.footballsquads.co.uk. Retrieved 24 June 2019.
  4. ↑ "En fazla milli olan Kıbrıslı Türk futbolcu". Londra Gazete. 2 January 2015. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
  5. ↑ "Welcome To Vale Park - Deniz Mehmet". port-vale.co.uk. 1 March 2017. Retrieved 1 March 2017.
  6. ↑ "U18s Hammer Birmingham - Ipswich Town News". TWTD.co.uk. 9 April 2011. Retrieved 1 March 2017.
  7. ↑ "Wealdstone 1-1 Wycombe". getbucks. 26 July 2011. Archived from the original on 2 March 2017. Retrieved 1 March 2017.
  8. ↑ Whitney, Steve (12 August 2011). "Mehmet Joins Wings". nonleague.pitchero.com. Retrieved 1 March 2017.
  9. ↑ "Kayserispor, kaleci Mehmet ile yollarını ayırdı". MİLLİYET HABER - TÜRKİYE'NİN HABER SİTESİ (in Turkish). 28 January 2015. Retrieved 1 March 2017.
  10. ↑ Mail, Simon (28 July 2015). "Leyton Orient cruise to Woking win". East London and West Essex Guardian Series. Retrieved 3 March 2017.
  11. ↑ "Argyle manager Derek Adams yet to make decision on trialist goalkeeper Deniz Mehmet". Plymouth Herald. 12 October 2015. Archived from the original on 15 December 2015. Retrieved 1 March 2017.
  12. ↑ "Free agent goalkeeper Deniz Mehmet plays on trial for Plymouth Argyle". Plymouth Herald. 8 October 2015. Archived from the original on 13 December 2015. Retrieved 1 March 2017.
  13. ↑ Collin, Iain (13 January 2016). "Falkirk table offer for former West Ham United keeper". Deadline News. Retrieved 1 March 2017.
  14. ↑ Oliver, David (3 January 2017). "Goalkeeper Deniz Mehmet leaves Falkirk". Falkirk Herald. Retrieved 1 March 2017.
  15. ↑ "Deniz Mehmet: Port Vale sign former Falkirk goalkeeper until end of season". BBC Sport. 1 March 2017. Retrieved 1 March 2017.
  16. ↑ Baggaley, Mike (17 March 2017). "Port Vale 2, Shrewsbury 1: Brown's battlers claim crucial win". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 18 March 2017.
  17. ↑ Baggaley, Mike (27 March 2017). "Port Vale keeper Deniz Mehmet grateful for point and clean sheet". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 27 March 2017.
  18. ↑ "Port Vale: Thirteen senior players leave club after relegation to League Two". BBC Sport. 19 May 2017. Retrieved 20 May 2017.
  19. ↑ Masson, James (6 July 2017). "Ray McKinnon delighted with Dundee United youngsters - Evening Telegraph". Evening Telegraph. Retrieved 7 July 2017.
  20. ↑ Barnes, John (13 July 2017). "Cammy Bell: Kilmarnock in talks with Dundee United for goalkeeper return". BBC Sport. BBC. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  21. ↑ Duthie, Tom (17 November 2017). "Clean slate under Csaba gives Dundee United understudy Deniz fresh hope". Evening Telegraph. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
  22. ↑ "Csaba Laszlo able to laugh off Deniz Mehmet's self-inflicted injury in Terrors win". BT.com. 4 May 2018. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
  23. ↑ "Deniz Signs Contract Extension". Dundee United Football Club. Retrieved 18 February 2019.
  24. ↑ Duthie, Tom (14 December 2018). "Deniz Mehmet on course for Dundee United return". Evening Telegraph. Retrieved 18 February 2019.
  25. ↑ Dodds, Christopher (7 November 2018). "From Kayseri to Tannadice. Deniz Mehmet's Dundee Love Affair | The Clyde Insider". The Clyde Insider. Retrieved 28 May 2022.
  26. ↑ "QosFC: Deniz Mehmet". www.qosfc.com. Retrieved 30 March 2019.
  27. ↑ "Deniz Signs Two-Year Deal". Dundee United Football Club. 5 July 2019. Retrieved 5 July 2019.
  28. ↑ "Dundee Utd, Raith & Cove win titles & reconstruction talks start after Dundee vote". BBC Sport. BBC. 15 April 2020. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
  29. ↑ "Games played by Deniz Mehmet in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
  30. 1 2 "Games played by Deniz Mehmet in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  31. ↑ McPartlin, Patrick (8 May 2021). "Dundee United 0-2 Hibs: Nisbet and Doidge fire Hibs to Scottish Cup final". www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
  32. ↑ Temple, Alan (24 June 2021). "Deniz Mehmet interview: Why I had to swap Dundee United for Dunfermline". The Courier. Retrieved 28 May 2022.
  33. ↑ "Deniz Mehmet joins Dunfermline". Dunfermline Athletic FC. 23 June 2021. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  34. ↑ Temple, Alan. "Owain Fon Williams' emotional Dunfermline farewell as John Hughes admits 'there was a lump in my throat'". The Courier. Retrieved 28 May 2022.
  35. ↑ Temple, Alan (8 March 2022). "John Hughes 'deja vu' quip as Dunfermline boss admits emergency goalkeeper swoop could be required". The Courier. Retrieved 28 May 2022.
  36. ↑ Lorimer, Scott (23 March 2022). "Dunfermline boss John Hughes provides Lewis McCann and Steven Lawless injury update as 'brilliant' Deniz Mehmet hailed". The Courier. Retrieved 28 May 2022.
  37. 1 2 "Games played by Deniz Mehmet in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  38. ↑ "Deniz's record is a result for the team | Dunfermline Athletic Football Club". www.dafc.co.uk. 7 April 2023. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  39. 1 2 @PFAScotland (8 May 2023). "Your PFA Scotland League 1 Team of the Year - as voted for by the players" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  40. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Deniz Mehmet at Soccerway
  41. ↑ Hart, Ross (20 April 2023). "'I'd have told you you're mad': Deniz is on song with fan backing". Dunfermline Press. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  42. ↑ "Mehmet tipped to shine | News | Latest News | News | West Ham United". origin-www.whufc.com. 8 June 2009. Retrieved 3 March 2017.
  43. ↑ "FIFA U-17 World Cup Nigeria 2009" (PDF). fifa.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 November 2009. Retrieved 1 March 2017.
  44. ↑ "Games played by Deniz Mehmet in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  45. 1 2 "Games played by Deniz Mehmet in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  46. ↑ "Games played by Deniz Mehmet in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  47. 1 2 "Games played by Deniz Mehmet in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  48. ↑ "Games played by Deniz Mehmet in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  49. ↑ "Games played by Deniz Mehmet in 2022-23/2000". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  50. ↑ "Games played by Deniz Mehmet in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
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